Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-09

OF a coward, and certainly in no way given
to fighting, though, somehow. it has often
been my lot to get into unpleasant positions,
and to be obliged to shed mans blood But
| have always hated it, and kept nv own
blood as undiminished in quantity as possible,
sometimes by a judiciouS use of my h1t'ls
Al this moment however, for the first time
in my life, | felt my bosom burn with mar
tial ardOr. Warlike fragments from the
''Ingofdsby Legends" together with Nun
bers of sanguinary verses from the Old I 8
lament, Sprang up in my brain like ,a;tsh-
rooms in the dark; my blood which hit.ier
to had been half frozen with horror. W 1T
beating through my veins. and ther,, came
unon me a savage desire 20 kill and spare
MI. glanced round at the Serried ranks ol
warriors behind US, and somehow. all iii an
instant began to wonder il my face looked
like theirs. There they stood, their heats
craned forward over their shields, the hands
twitching, the lips apart, the fierce features
instinct with the hungry lust of battle. and
in the eyes look like the glare of bloc
hound when he sights his quarry.
Only lgnosi's heart seemed, to Judge froia
his comparative self-posSessi0n. 10 all ap.
pearance, to beat as calmly as ever beneath
his leOpard-skin cloak, though even he still
kept on grinding his teeth. | could stand ii
no longer.
care we to stani here until we put on!
roots, Um5opa-IgnGsi, I meanwhile Iva,
la swallows our brothers yoner"' l asked
may, Macumazahn," was the answer;
''see, now is the ripe moment; let us pluck
it."
As he spoke fresh regiment rushed past
no vim
round, attacked it from the hither side
Then lifting his battIe-ax, Ignosi gave the
signal 70 advance, and, raising the Kukuana
battle-cry, the ButfaIoes charged home.
What followed Immediately on this it is
is a wild yet ordered rush that seemed to
shake the ground; sudden change of front
and forming up on the part Of the regiment
against which the charge was directed; then
an awful shock. dull roar of voices, and a
continuous flashing of spears, seen through a
red mist of blood.
When my mind cleared | found myself
standing inside the remnant of the Grays
near the top of the mound, and just behind
no less a person than Sir Henry himself
How L got there | had, at that moment, no
idea, but Sir Henry afterward told M that |
was borne up by the first furious charge of
the ButfalOeS almost to his feet, and then
left, as they in turn were pressed back
Thereon he dashed out of the circle and
dragged me into it.
AS for the fight that followed who can
describe it? Again and again the multltudes
surged up against our momentarily leSSening
circle,and again and again we beat them back.
THE stubborn spearman still made good
The dark, impenetrable wood;
Each stepping where his comrade stood
The instant that he FELL
as the 'Ingoldspy Legends beautifully
puts it.
1t was spleniil thing to see those brave
battaliOns come Oh liEle after time over the
barriers of their dead sometimes holding
cOrpSeS before them to receive our spear
thrUStS, 0NIT to leave their own c0rpSoS to
swell the rising piles. 1t was gallant sight
to see that sturdy Oiu warrior, 1nfadOoS, as
cool as though he We're on parade, shouting
out orders, tauntS, and even jeSts, to keep up
the spirit of his few remaining men, and
then, as each charge rolled up, stepping for
ward to wherever the fighting was thickeSt
to bear his share in repelling it. And yet
more gallant was the vision of Sir Henry,
whose ostrich plumeS had been ShOrn off by
a spear stroke, so that his long yellow hair
Streamed out in the breeze behind him.
There he stood, the great Dane. for he was
nothing else, his hands, his AK, and his ar
NOR all red with blood, and none could live
before his stroke. Time after time | saw it
come sweeping down, as some great warrior
ventured to give him battle, and as he struck
he shouted: ''O-hoyI O-hoy" like his Berse-
kir forefathers, and the blow went crashing
through shield and spear. through head-dress
hair and skull till at last none would of
their own will come near the great white
'!tagati" (wiZard), who killed and failed
not.
To be continued